Power-transmission mechanism.



'I'. C. DILL.

POWER. TRANSMISSION MEOHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED HAY 15l 1908.

Patented July 27, 1909.

2 SHBBTS--BHEET 1.

,Yy 27, 1909. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

T. c. BILL. POWER TRANSMISSION MEGHANISM.

APPLIUATIONfILED-HAY 15, 1908. Patented Jul l et! UNITED STATES PATENT oEErcE.

THOMAS c. DILL, or PHILADELrHIA, PENnsYLvAN'IA.

POWER-TRANSMISSION MECHANISM..

Specification of Letters Patent.

ratentdruly 27, 1eo9.

Application led May 15, 1908. Serial'No. 433,663'.

To alt/whom it may concern:l

Be 1t known that' I', THOMAS C. DILL, a citlzen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have inventedV certain Improvements in Power-Transmission Mechanism, of which the following is a whereby the force pressing said disks together shall be variable with the load transmitted;

I further desire to provide improved 4mechanism for transmitting 'power' between a source thereof and a driven body which sh all include means for automatically varying the pressure forcing .the disks t'o ether, in accordance with variations in the amount of power being transmitted.

Another' object; of the invention is to so arrange the various parts of' appower-transmission mechanism' employing frictionally endaging plates or disks' that it shallbe possibe toadjust themat will-so that' the pressure upon the friction plates shallat all times remain constant so'as to produce al tor ue of constant magnitude or, on the other and, soj that theipressure forcing' the plates together will vary with the speed;

M'y invention in addition, Acontempla-nes .an improved construction of disks whereby the refe'ngagement of one seriesl of'the same with another is facilitated after' these disks have been separated, andit is'also desired to provide various improvements inthe yielding.

connectionsand .automatic regulating devices whereby the pressure of 'the disks of one series upon' those of the engaging series is governedl These objec'ts I attain as hereinafter set forth, reference being-had to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Figure- 1, is a plan, showing somewhat 4diagramm'atically and 1n" horlzontal section,

one embodiment of' my invention Figs. 2 and 3, are longitudinal sectionsl illustrating slightly modied'forms of the parts of' my invention supported' upon the intermediate shaft Figs. 4j-.and 5`are longitudinal sections illustrating special'formfs'fof the automatically acting meanslfor varying the pressure exerted by one series of' disks upon those of another series in accordance with the variations inthe powerA transmitted; Fig. 6,'is` a longitudinal sectionillustratinganothermodified form of automatically acting means f'o'r causing the pressure exerted by a spring upon a series of disks to be varied and Fig.v7, is an enlarged sectionillust'rating the preferred form of the disks employed. V,

Referring to Fig. 1', of the above drawings,

--A, B, yand C lrepresent three substantially parallel shafts, which may be carried in any suitable bearings, and it may be assumed thatof' these the shaft A is connected to a source of power, while the shaft' C is connected to some machine or device for utilizing the power. Upon a squared portion ofthe shaft A'I mount a series ofcircular lates or disks a which, as they fit upon said's aft, are forced to turn with the same, while being free to slide toward and fromv eachother though it is obvious that they maybe sp'lined to the shaft without in any way departin4 from my invention. For limiting their possi le' movel ment away from eachother I`may,if desired, also place upon the shaft aI pair of collars a. Also carried by the shaft A so'thatit is com;

pelled to turn therewith, but is'fr'ee tolmove oncitudinally thereon, is a' disk c2, whichit will he noted, is ofsomewhat less diameter than the disks a; this difference in diameter being determined'a's noted'hereafter. Upon the intermediate shaft B'are carried' two se ries of' circular plates orl disks b and dof which` the first series mesh or are ca able of meshing with the disks a of' the siaft A, while the disks d are similarly capable of en# gaging alternately or meshing with the disks c ofa series loosely mountediupon but compelled to turn with the shaft C. Inthe pres- ,ent instance the disks c and c consistl of substantially parallel faced plates, while the disks b and d taper frompointfs adjacent to their centers to their perlpheri'as; though,l if desired, the' disks b may be parallel'fac'ed, While the disks a are tapered, and similar changes may be made with the remaining disks onthe shafts Biand C, so that oneset of' two intermeshing series of disks Ais parallel faced, while the other is tapered. In this casethere is at each endof the series of disks b a ressure plate 5 having a hub on the shafof'su'eh length that it is not ossible for it to tilt out of'a planev substantie at, right angles to the line of the shaft. Olne' of' these pressure plates abuts upon a collar' b2 on the shaft' B, while the other is yieldingly pressed toward'the disks andthe otherpressure plate by meansof a spiral spring b3 arranged concentrically with the said shaft. xThe series of disks d similarly has two pressure plates d', of which one rests against a second collar b3 on the shaft B andthe other is engaged by one end of a second spiral sprin d3. Between the two sets of dlsks b and the shaft B is threaded, as indicated at b4, and upon one end of this threaded portion is mounted a threaded sleeve having iixed to itinte` grally in the present instance-a late or disk b5. Sliding upon the sleeve b 1s a second sleeve 57 having a disk b5 adjacent to the disk b5; the arrangement of parts being such that the disk a2 extends between these two disks b5 and bs. On the second part of the threaded shaft B is another sleeve d4 having an integral disk d5 and serving to slidingly support a second sleeve d", which in turn has a disk d7. The spring d3 in this ease engages the disk 17' so as to force it toward the disk di", while similarly the spring b3 resses the disk l)8 toward the disk b5 so as to 'rictionally gri the disk a?. A On the shaft C is a single dis c', which like the disk c, is freeto slide upon but necessarily turns with the shaft and which extends between the two disks di' and 17. This disk c is of slightly greater diameter than the disks c of the series on the shaft C.

Under operating conditions, it is obvious that when power is transmitted from one shaft to another through two series of intermeshing disks -there is a certain amount of, slip which de ends upon the load carried and also upon t e spring pressure tending to force the disks mto frictional engagement with each other. If, therefore, the springs b3 and d3 be so designed that with a given load there is a definite slip, say of-2% between the disks a and b on the one hand and between the disks d and c on the other then the disk a2 is made with its diameter 2% less than that of the disks a while the disk c' has a diameter 2% greater than that of the disk c. As a conse uence under normal conditions the shaft (B is driven from the shaft A at a speed substantially 2% less than that of said driving shaft, but inasmuch as the diameter of the disk a2 is 2% less than that of the diameter of the disk a, said disk a2 is driven at a speed which is practically identical with that of the two disks b5 and be. Similarly, since the speed of the shaft C is 2% less than that of the shaft B owing to the slip between the disks d and c, the speed of the disks d5 and d7 on lthe one hand is the same as that of the disk c owing to their 2% difference in diameter. If, now, there is an increase in the load driven from the shaft C so that the amount of power re uired to be transmitted is increased, the slipbetween the disks a and b would be greater than 2% and as a result the speed of the pair yof disks lf and b8 is lessthan that of the disk a2. As a consequence, the sleeve b is driven at a higher speed than is the shaft B so that the spring b3 is compressed by movement of said sleeve upon the threaded part of the shaft toward the pressure plate b. The force pressing together the disks being thus increased, the slip is immediately diminished to its normal amount, the spring pressure4 being just sufiicient to transmit the necessary power with the predetermined amount of slip. In order that the pressure may be reduced in the event of a falling off of the power transmitted, I preferably make `the disk a2 somewhat less than 2% smaller in diameter than the disk a so that there is a constant tendency for the disks t? and 58 to move longitudinally relatively to the shaft B so as to reduce the pressure on the pressure plate b. As soon, however, as this results in an increased slip between the disks (L and b the above described series of, operations occurs just as if there had been an increase in load with the result that the pressure between the disks is again increased and the slip brought to the normal amount.

While there is theoreticallyr a constant increase and diminution of the pressure between the disks even when the load is constant, as a matter of actual fact the parts assume intermediate positions so that the slip is maintained at the desired point or is quickly brought thereto after a fluctuation of the load. The same sequence of operations occurs with the disks b and c and their pressure-governing disks d5, d? and c; the latter of these being of a diameter somewhat greater than 2% more than the disks 0, in

yorder that there shall be a continual slackening off of the pressure exerted upon the pressure plate b', which is continually brought back to the position necessary to maintain the slip at the desired point, as above described.

In Fig. 4, I have shown a modification of the construction illustrated in Fig. 1, in which arrangement of parts I employ one disk f of the series d as a pressure plate, providing it with a threaded portion f upon which is mounted a correspendinglythreaded nut f2. Similarly, I provide one of the two governin disks of the shaft B with a threaded portion j' 3 and place on this a correspondingly threaded nut f 4. These two nuts 2 and f4 I connect by two or, in fact, any desired number of bars or rods f5 and place around these suitable pressure springs f. The threads upon the hub or sleeve f are' pitched in a direction opposite to that of the threads f 3 so that with the parts arranged as before, that is, with the disk c engaging the two disks (l5 and 17 and a series of disks c engaging the disks d, any variation in the slip will result in a turning of the disk with the threaded part f a relatively to the slecvef so that the nuts f2 and j"4 are forced apart or drawn together with a resulting variation of the'pressure exerted upon the intermeshing disks d and In Fig. 5, I have shown a still further modification of this same idea,

lthough in this case I have matcriallvsimplied the construction and redu'ccdthe number of parts by making one or more of the disks Z9 of the main series of a diameter different from that of the remainder of the disks c`(in th present instance less) and place this so'that it engages the pressure plate In this case thesleevefa, while being threaded, as before, is rigidly `fixed to the shaft B and inasmuch as this andthe sleeve f are oppositely threaded, any variation from the predetermined amount of slip will cause 'movement of the pressure plate f with its sleeve f toward or from the fixed sleeve f3 with consequent increase or diminution ofthe pressure exerted by the springsf6 upon, the disks W'hen it is desired that the disks shall be capable of transmitting a constant, or.but slightly varying amount of power Ignay arrange them uponthe vshaft B as illustrated in Fig. 2, in which case the disks b and d have extending betweenthem a spring g.- .Vith this arrangement of parts it will be understood that the shaft Bis, as shown in Fig.`1, mounted parallel with the shafts A and C so that its disks b mesh with the disks f1y on the first of these shafts, while its disks d mesh' and since these are tapered spread them' apart so as to compress the spring g. This should result in an increased pressure being brought to bear upon the two sets of disks d and c, but inasmuch as-the movement of the shaft B toward the shaft A results in a corresponding movement away from the shaft C,

the disks d and c become lessdeeply engaged,

by an amount correspondingalmost exactly .with the increase of engagement between the disks a and b. 'Inasmucln therefore, as the spring g is common to each of the disks the force exerted by it remains constant and it is not either rcompressed or permitted to expand by anychange of position of the shaft B toward or from the other two shafts. In this particular instance lI mount upony said shaft B at some point between the two sets of disks I) and d a collar g/ and confine between this collar. and the pressure plate b an auxiliary spring or springs g2, fixing its ends respectively to said collar and to sald 'Ir-late b', so that after the pressure plates b have been moved toward eachother a predetermined distance under the action of the spring g, any further movement will be opposed by the auxiliary spring. As a result the force tend- -this arrangement, remain constant up to a certain point, las thepressure plates b are moved together, after which it will be diminished. y Similarly`,`after said'platos have been moved, apart a predetermined distance as above explained, any further movement is opposed by the compression of the auxiliary spring g2. lIt is to be understood that this auxiliary spring may be omitted if desired Without departing from my invention.

In the case illustrated in Fig.. 3, I have provided each of the series of disks'b' and d with a se arate pressure spring h and k1', there being ed to the shaft B a collar h2 serving as -an abutment for one end of each ol' the springs while their other ends, as i'n the case of the springs b3 and d3 shown in Fig. 1,engage the pressure plates b', d. collar h2 may be loose on the shaft-so that the device operates as does that ,illustrated in Fig. 2. w'

In case it 'should bel desired to so move the shaft B that either set 0f its disks b or d shall be moved completely out of engagement with the corresponding series of disks a. and c, I so form the edges of the disks that they may readily rengagewith one another. In such case I lace between each pair of disks In some cases this--v a, as well as etween each of the disks b small kwashers or collars 7c whereby these are held `or spaced apart when the disks of one series are out of engagement with those of the other. Inaddition, the edge of each disk is given a Vdouble bevel, as shown in F ig. 7, so that when the` disk-supporting Ishafts are moved toward each other to cause re'e'ngagement of the disks this construction of the edges insures that they shall be properly al ternated with one another.

In Fig. 6,I have illustrateda still further modification of my invention which is designed to cause the force pressing together the disks of a series to remain substantially constant even though the said disks are widely separated or permitted to approach together, as by variations in the depth of engagement of a second set of disks with them. For this purpose I provide one of the pressure plates, as b, with a collar j slidablv vb is at -its maximum distance fromV the fixed collar 7' or from thelink-carrying collar f5, the bell crank levers js are confined between the collar j and the back of the pressure plate 4so as to transmit the force of the spring y'2 directly to said pressure plate and hence to the various intermeshing disks. When the pressure plate b is moved toward the collar j so as to compress the spring y2, the levers ys, being held by the links j* at a fixed distance from the collar 7'5, are so turned on the pivots connecting them to the ends of the links that they transmit to said links a portion of the force exerted by the spring j2, and I so design the parts that the amount of force so transmitted to the links is equal to the increased pressure exerted by the spring j? due to its compression by the above assumed movement of the pressure plate. As a result the force exerted by the spring upon the pressure plate 1) remains constant even 'if Said spring be materially compressed.

I claim:

1. A power transmission mechanism including two shafts, intermeshing friction disks on the shafts for operatively connectdisks on said shafts respectively internieshing with each other, a spring for pressing together said disks, and a disk or disks arranged to cause thepressure exerted by the spring to vary with the power transmitted.

4. The combination of two shafts, series of intermeshing disks respectively carried by said shafts, a spring pressing together said disks, and a governing disk or disks on each shaft, said latter disks being arranged'to co operate with one another to cause variation of the pressure exerted by said spring.

5. The combination of three shafts, two series of disks on one of the shafts, and a single series of disks on each of the other Y shafts,`each meshing with the disks of one of the series on the other shaft, means for vieldingly pressing together the disks to cause power to be transmitted between intermeshing disks, and means for automatically varyingthe pressure exerted by said pressing means.

6. The combination of two shafts, series of disks on each shaft respectively intermeshing with each other, a spring pressing the .l disks together, and governing ydisks for au' tomatically varyingthe pressure exerted by said spring, one of said governing disks being constructed to have at the point of its engagement with its cooperating disk or rdisks aspeed different from that of the other disks carried on the same shaft.

7.. The combination of two shafts Aof which one has a threaded portion, a series of disks on each of said shafts, the disks of one shaft meshing with those of the other, resilient means for pressing said disks together, a threaded structure mounted on said shaft and operative on said resilient means, a governing disk for said structure, and a second governing disk coperating with said first governing disk for automatically causing movement of said threaded structure and consequent variation of the pressure exerted by said resilient means.

8. A power transmission mechanism including two shafts, intermeshing friction disks on the shafts for operatively connectving the same, means for pressing the disks together, and means arranged to transmit a portion of. the total power transmitted by the mechanism, for automatically governing the pressure exerted upon the disks.

9. The combination of three shafts, two series of disks on one of the shafts, a series of disks on each of theother shafts meshing with the disks of the first shaft, means for resiliently pressing together the intermeshing disks, and automatically acting governing means for varying the force pressing together the disks of each two intermeshing series in accordance with the variations in the amount of power transmitted.

10. The combination of two shafts, one

movable toward and from the other, disks on each shaft respectively meshing with each other, means for pressing` the disks together, and means for preventing the disks of one series approaching each other nearer than a predetermined distance.

' 1l. The combination of two shafts, one movable toward and from thc other, a plurality of disks on one shaft, a disk or disks on the other shaft meshing therewith, means for pressing together the disks, and means for maintaining said pressure substantially consta-nt irrespective of the depth of engagement of the disks.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

vTHOMAS c. pint.l

Witnesses:

VVILLiAisr E. BRADLEY, WM. A. BARR. 

